Being A True NYC It Girl Is Expensive — $200K Kind Of Expensive

For New York City It Girls, the party season is almost over. Between the months of January and June, the city's socialites flock to the most exclusive parties wearing elegant gowns, fresh manis, and perfectly styled hair. Alexandra Lebenthal, a wealth management firm owner told the New York Times, being social isn't just about making appearances, it's "an expensive proposition if you want to go full boat." Between $500 private hair and makeup sessions, designer dresses from Chanel, Lanvin, and Carolina Herrera, maybe a tiny cosmetic treatment, and a casual $5,000 party ticket, the average New York City It Girl will drop close to (if not more than) $200K in just six months.

This isn't your average Gossip Girl kind of It Girl. We don't recall Blair Waldorf ever spending $5 - $10K a month on personal publicists that tell her which lavish soiree to attend, and which smaller parties to make an appearance at (though, she did drop hefty amounts on outfits). These publicists also maintain their client's social media and buzz-worthy profiles; they keep these women relevant.

On top of all that, any good It Girl knows that flowers, cards, and thank you gifts aren't just nice gestures to show her gratitude, they're expected (and there goes another cool stack of Benjamins). How stressful that must be! The worries of not finding a new dress, getting in shape with a $400-a-month personal trainer, and the angst of not knowing which $100K dinner table ticket to purchase must really make an It Girl feel like Atlas holding the world. At least those insane party admission prices benefit charities. It's all in the name of philanthropy, right? Right. Atlas can't shrug at that. (Daily Mail)

When it was announced in September 2014 that Kate Lanphear was leaving T: The New York Times Style Magazine to become editor-in-chief at Maxim, the fashion world's response could be summed up in two words: "Come again?" Previously, Lanphear had been style director at Elle, an in-demand runway stylist, and a bona fide read